Top Ten Patriotic Songs..!

After a long time, I listened to some patriotic songs. I had this playlist named ‘Patriotic’ which I rarely played. For some reason, I played them last evening. I am not a Patriot in the real sense of the word, but the exercise did affect me. I then decided to list my favourite patriotic songs in a post. So here it is..

1. Ab Tumhaare Hawale Watan Saathiyon
   Movie : Haqeekat (1964)
   Lyrics : Kaifi Azmi
   Singer : Mohammad Rafi

Perhaps, the most glowing tribute to a soldier. I run out of words to describe the feeling when I listen to this song. A gem from the legendary Mohammad Rafi, the lyrics are so touching that one cannot listen to this song just once.

 

2.   Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon
      Lyrics : Kavi Pradeep
      Singer : Lata Mangeshkar

This is perhaps, the most famous patriotic song in India. Kavi Pradeep composed this song in 1962 when he heard the story of Major Shaitan Singh Bhaati during the Sino-Indian war. It was famously performed live by Lata Mangeshkar on the 26th of January 1963. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was moved to tears upon hearing this song. And Nehru is not alone.

 

3.  Ae Mere Pyaare Watan
     Movie: Kabuliwala (1961)
     Lyrics : Gulzar
     Singer : Manna Dey

This is perhaps the only song that is not about India. It is about the Kabuliwala who misses his motherland, Afghanistan.

“Chodakar teri zameen ko duur aa pahunche hain hum,
  phir bhi hain yahi hain tamannaa tere zarron ki kasam,
  hum jahaan paidaa hue,uss jagah hi nikale ye dum
  tujhpe dil qurbaan..!”

These lines move me to tears every time..!If someone misses his motherland, he should listen to this song.. esp. these lines!

 

4. Aaj Himalay Ki Choti Se Phir Humne Lalkara Hai.. 
   Duur Hato Ae Duniyawalon Hindustan Humara Hai..!!
   Movie : Kismat (1943)
   Lyrics : Kavi Pradeep

This song was a pre-independence rage in India. While the song was supposed to be a song which sounded like a warning to the Axis powers, the Indians understood the true meaning of the song. This song became so popular that it used to be played 4-5 times in the cinema hall during the screening of the movie. The British soon realised the meaning of the song and Kavi Pradeep had to go underground to evade arrest.

 

5. Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera
    Movie  : Swades (2004)
    Lyrics :Javed Akhtar
    Singer : AR Rahman

If ever I go out of India for a long time, this is one song that I will NOT dare to listen. AR Rahman pours out his soul in this song. The shehnai (a tube-like aero phonic instrument) is simply amazing. The music is soul stirring and the lyrics are touching. This is one song that is always in my list of 'Most played songs."

 

6. Ae Watan ae Watan
    Movie : Shaheed (1965)
    Lyrics : Prem Dhawan
    Singer : Mohammad Rafi

Another gem from Mohammad Rafi. This was perhaps the first of the Bhagat SIngh movies to be released and this was the best song among all the Bhagat Singh movies that we have till date.

 

7.  Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna
    Movie   : Shaheed (1965)
    Lyrics   : Ram Prasad Bismil
    Singers : Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey & Rajendra Bhatia

This song was penned by the freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil. Powerful lyrics and in rich Urdu, this song in indispensable in any to the Top 10s of Indian patriotic songs.

 

8.  Mera Rang De Basanti
    Movie   : Shaheed (1965)
   Lyrics    : Prem Dhawan
   Singers  : Mukesh, Mahendra Kapoor & Rajendra Bhatia

The third Shaheed song in the list. This is another moving song. Many versions of the same song have followed since. But few can create the magic of Mahendra Kapoor and Mukesh.

 

9. Aao Bachhon Tumhe Dikhaon
    Movie   : Jagriti (1954)
    Lyrics  : Kavi Pradeep
    Singers : Kavi Pradeep

This is another of Kavi Pradeep’s famous songs. It is from the movie Jagriti which was later copied as the 1957 Pakistani movie, Bedaari. It even features the same songs, only the word Hindustan is replaced by Pakistan.

 

10. Maula Mere Lele Meri Jaan
     Movie   : Chak De India (2007)
     Lyrics   : Jaideep Sahni
    Singers  : Krishna, Salim Merchant

This entry would perhaps surprise many. This is not a paean to India, in fact it is a Muslim’s lament to his mother land. He says that he has always been a good son, and grieves at being ostracised. 

 

Also I wanted to include AR Rahman’s ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’, Purab aur Paschim’s “Hai Preet Jahaan Ki Reet Sada” and “Dulhan Chali”. Not to forget Allama Iqbal’s “Saare Jahaan se Achcha” While "Saare Jahaan se Achcha" was a sure entry in the top ten, I did not do it on purpose. Perhaps, it belongs to a different genre altogether!